THE ANNUAL MEETING 
107 
of the children of this country, but the book of Nature had 
never yet been adequately read by them. Why should they 
study with dry books when they had the delightful book of 
Nature always open before them if they pleased to read it ? 
The Officers during the year had been mortal foes of all the 
Philistinism and vandalism that existed in the country ; they 
protected all living things, and they had established bird sanc- 
tuaries, though in his opinion the garden of every lady and 
gentleman should be such a sanctuary. He was pleased to 
say that his was. But they had yet to convert gardeners, 
and especially market gardeners. The Officers had done much 
to preserve ancient monuments, and nothing was so bad as 
the destruction of ancient monuments — except perhaps their 
restoration. To that he had a strong objection and would be 
extremely sorry to see the old Cathedral of Exeter restored. 
The Society also protected trees. He had noticed that the 
more beautiful a tree, the more likely it was that the Edwins 
and the Angelinas would carve their initials upon it and en- 
circle them with a heart. But they soon forgot they had done 
anything of the sort. He remembered a beautiful tree upon 
which a man had carved his name. Underneath some one cut 
the words “ since hung.” He did not know if the man really 
met that doom, but doubtless many present would think 
he deserved it. He had no doubt the Officers would do their 
duty in the coming year as well as in the past, and then all 
would be satisfied. 
Dr. Martin in seconding the motion said he would like to 
emphasise the hearty vote of thanks to the Hon. Secretaries 
of the Branches. If they were not up to their work the Society 
would run serious risks of extinction. “ It is a fine day, let us 
go out and kill something.” “ Here is a beautiful old building, 
let us smash it to pieces.” Those were the views many of 
our fellow citizens had at the present time. He proceeded to 
refer to the proposed demolition at Stratford-on-Avon, which 
place he had recently visited. The onus of proof rested with 
the authorities, and he had come to the conclusion, after making 
careful enquiries, that they had not made out their case. There 
were 8,000 acres of land in the town and yet they had chosen the 
one particularly sacred spot upon which to erect a free library. 
That was hardly what one would have expected from them. 
He considered it the duty of every member of the public to 
see that nothing we had inherited from our ancestors should be 
swept away r without due deliberation. Miss Correlli had stood 
out almost single-handed against the authorities, and had 
succeeded in delaying the hand of the destroyers ; but if the 
cottages were to be retained public opinion must assert itself. 
He hoped all present would sign Miss Corelli’s appeal to the 
authorities at Stratford-on-Avon for delay, in order that public 
opinion might have an opportunity of expressing itself. 
